Stop and holder for closures



' J. P-., LUBY STOP AND HOLDER FOR cLosuRfis July 21, 1936.

' Filed Jan. 9, 1956 Patented July 21, 19 36 Parr-1N1 OFFICE" r 1.04am s'ror arm noun-2n. roaonosonss John r. my. St. Paul, Minn.

Application January 9. 1936, Serial No. 58,283

4 Claims. (01- 292-70) My invention relates to combination stops and holders for closures. An object the invention is to provide a-device of this character adapted to cooperate with doors, gates, and other swinging closures. The term "stop is intended to cover the eifect of the device in decelerating or stopping the motion of a door or other swinging closures. The term holder is intended to cover the effect of the device in holding'such a closure in a given stationary position.

The device consists essentially of molded rubher or other resilient material, preferably formed in a single piece, elongated in shape and having a flat base suited to firm footing on a floor or other support and having a curved middle portion or rib'rising above the fiat base, said rib being curved convexly in longitudinal cross section. The base is open along its middle portion, so that a. recess is produced extending through the base and up into the curved rib, which recess is substantially concentric with the curved rib. Holes are preferably provided at the ends of the base for use in fastening the device securely to the floor or other support at a suitable and eilective position thereon.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however. both as to its organization and method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages'thereot will be best understood irom the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which,

3 Fig- 1 is a top plan view of one iormoi my device.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a view in longitudinal vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. l. i v

Fig. 4 is' asimilar view showing a door orother closure pushed upon the middle portion of the device? I.

Fig. 5 is a view in cross section on theline 5-4 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 6, '7, 8, and'9 are similar views of slightly modified forms of construction. 7 'As shown inthe drawing, I provide an elongated flat base III which as wiilbe \mderstood from Figs. 3, 4, and 5 is open along its middle pcttion 'so that the base is in eflect a peripheral member. The base carries a rib I! which is convexed upwardly and is preferably integral with the base. From Figs. 3, 4, and 5, it will be tmderstood that the rib l2 extends'vertically and therefore at right angles to the base, and that a recess I4 is produced which extends through the base up into the curved rib'so that the recess is substantially concentric with the rib. It is contemplated to make: provision for fastening the device securely to the I floor or other support 8. A convenient way of 5 accomplishing this result is to provide holes is at the ends of the base through which screws is may be turned into the support. In order to avoid any liability of a vacuum being formed in the recess 14 when the no I! expands aiter com- 'pression, the undersurface oi'the base may be provided with grooves 20. l

Fig. 6 shows a slight modification in which the peripheral base member l0 instead of being rec tangular in cross section is triangular or wedge- 15 shaped with the thin edge outward. The rib I2 is shown curved both laterally and longitudinally as in the form previously described. Fig. 7 showsa modification in which the rib has side members H 22 extending up vertically and a top member 2| 2'0 horizontal in cross section.

The operation and advantages of my invention 30 'will be. readily understood in connection with theioregoing description and the accompanying drawing. The essential operating features may well be illustrated by describing a typical operation. The device is intended primarily to be 5 fixed securely to a floor or other support S at a.

place where .a door or other swinging closure 0 is to be stopped and held. The height of the device from the bottom of the base, to the highest point in the curved rib is slightly greater than 4 the clearance between the floor or support and 'the bottom of the closure. As the closure swings toward the fixed stopand holder, the edge of the closure nearest the stop finally comesinto contact with the curved rib ot the latter at a point slightly 45 below the-top oi the rib aswill be understood from Fig. 3. Pressure oijthe closure on the rib depresses the latter downward and as will be understood .irom Fig. 4, finally compresses the rib to a point when the closure just slides over 50 the highest point on tlie rib. However, this com pressionof the rib results in a resistance to continued motion of the closure so that this motion is decelerated and finally stopped. In its compressed condition, the rib exerts an appreciable 55 upward pressure on the bottom of the closure thereby causing a relatively large frictional resistance between the rib and the bottom of the closure which not only tends to prevent further motion of the closure, but holds the latter firmly in place to prevent closing movement. The closure may be releasedfrom its fixed position by a moderate pull. In order to prevent any tendency for a partial vacuum to form within the recess of the rib and thereby lessen the upward pressure of the rib against the bottom of the closure, vents such as 20 maybe provided to permit free communication with the outside atmosphere. l.

It is to be noted that the action oi my device both as to retarding the opening movement of the door and holding the latterin open position involves noadjustment of the device with each individual operation such as involved in the use of wedge type stops which are not fixed to a floor or other support and is also involved in holders fixed to the closure which require a distinct engaging and releasing operation when the closure is to be fixed or released. In the use of my device, the closure is merely swung into position over the curved rib and is automatically engaged, and similarly release of the closure is efiected by merely exerting a moderate pull thereon. While the device may be very conveniently made in a single piece, it is to be understood that it is not necessarily so made. It is to be further understood that the use of my device is not limited to doors of buildings, but may be used in connection with other closures such, -for instance, as the doors of trucks, cars, or other conveyances.

Although I have shown and described various specific embodiments of my invention, I am fully aware that other embodiments are possible. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by .the prior art and by the spirit of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A combination stop and holder for closures comprising an elongated base, a compressible hollow longitudinal rib forming a continuous curve carried by said base, said rib having its highest part intermediate the ends thereof whereby the closure when in open position may rest upon and be stopped by said highest part, and means for securely fastening said base to a floor or other support. I

2. A combination stop and holder for closures comprisingan elongated base and a hollow longitudinal rib molded integrally from rubber, said rib forming a continuous curve having its highest part intermediate the ends thereof whereby the closure when in open position may rest upon and be stopped by said highest part, and means for securely fastening said base to a floor or other support.

3. A combination stop and holder for closures comprising an elongated open center base and a hollow longitudinal rib molded integrally from rubber providing a recess extending through said base and up into said rib substantially concentric with the latter, saidrib forming a continuous curvehaving its highest part intermediate the ends thereof whereby the closure when in open position may rest upon and be stopped by said highest part, and means for securely fastening said base to a fioor or other support.

4. A combination stop and holderfor closures comprising an elongated open center base and a hollow longitudinal rib molded integrally from rubber providing a recess extending through said base and .up into said rib substantially concentric with the latter, said rib forming a, continuous curve having its highest part intermediate the ends thereof whereby the closure when in open position may rest upon and be stopped by said highest part, said recess being provided withan air vent to avoid formation of vacuum therein, and means for securely fastening said base to a floor or other support.

JOHN P. LUBY. 

